The Trials
by Poker Face William
Summary: Years after the crew of the Argo II saves the world from Gaea's return a new trio is needed. An unlikely team of demigods from both camps come together to save not only the world, but each other.
1. The First Trial

_I decided that three stories weren't enough for me to work on so I started writing another one. The story mostly takes place in the adult years of the heroes from the Heroes of Olympus. The story does not follow them, or only their children however, this is a mostly new group of demigods living at a new camp. Hope you enjoy._

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_Valdez.

I was standing in line for the burners with my best friend JJ. JJ stood for Jennie Jackson, but no one called her that. She had made It clear that she didn't want to be known because her parents were Percy and Anabeth Jackson. If it were me I would totally milk it, but my parents are pretty cool to.

"Did you see Aryn working out earlier today?" JJ asked from behind me as we quickly walked toward the fire.

"No, but you totally should have like, texted me." I said in my best impersonation of the Aphrodite's, even with the hand flip at the end.

"I'm serious Valdez; he's good with that sword." JJ said ignoring my fabulous choke like she always did. "Besides, he is really cute, I wouldn't mind if he taught me how to through a spear."

"Well I couldn't care less about that guy." I said, being serious for once. I've never really liked popular guys. "He's so full of himself."

"I know but he is cute." Suddenly the line came to an abrupt hault and I smacked food tray first into the person in front of me who quickly caught me by my under arm.

"Don't you know what happens when you talk about Hades?" the gruff said voice said as he picked me up. He was wearing a black Jacket zipped up over his other shirt, and black jeans with a walled chain on his right side. He had a pale slim yet muscular face with deep sunken sad black eyes. The happiest thing about this guy was his blonde military cut hair with two zigzags on the sides.

"I wasn't talking about Hades." I said brushing off my baggy military jacket. Then I looked up to see Aryn Tester. The tall muscular teen with bright red hair over tan muscular arms, he was wearing an orange Camp Half Blood Shirt with the sleeves ripped off and blue jeans. "Hey, Hulk, watch where you're going!"

"Who you callin hul… oh hi." He said calming down and putting on his best flirt smile. "Sorry, I'll try to be more careful next time."

"Oh, would you?" I said turning into the girly girl anyone who knew me knew I wasn't. "That would be so nice of you." I added, and then I punched him out.

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Auctober

I did not see that coming. That small scrawny girl knocked out an Ares kid.

"Nice punch." I said, taking a pack of M&M's off my tray and throwing them in the fire, handing the rest to the girl. "Bye."

_'I need to go change my jacket now_.'I thought to myself as I walked out of the mess hall and towards the black stone cabin on the left side of the green.

As I walked in the door I could feel the mist at work in the cabin. Books were floating across the room and onto other shelves; shadows were being cast on the wall. It was a small cabin but it didn't have too many inhabitants. I reached under one of the four beds and pulled out my black wooden trunk with A.V. carved onto the top in Algerian font.

I pulled a slight of hand to make my black Stygon Iron key to appear in my hand so I could unlock it.

When I opened the lid I pulled out my Stygon Iron sword and black wooden staff so I could have free movement through my stuff. I came across another hoodie and took off the one I was wearing to reveal my orange camp shirt and a Stygon Iron necklace in the shape of a hissing cat. I put on the jacket when I heard a knocking on the cabin door.

I walked up opened it and saw the girl from the mess hall, the one who was hanging out with JJ.

"Hey Speedy Gonzales, what was your hurry back there?" she asked walking into the cabin uninvited. "I had guessed Hades, but Hecate is pretty close."

"What exactly do you want?" I asked grabbing a book she had taken from its path to the next shelf, letting it go back on its way. "I'm kind of busy."

"Well, to thank you of course." She said seductively as she sat down on my bed spreading her hands on the black comforter with silver moons and stars on it, looking at me sideways with a half-smile. _'Are her eyes golden?'_

"That really isn't necessary." I said, zipping my jacket back up. "I wasn't that hungry any ways."

"Fine, but sit with me and JJ at the camp fire tonight Speedy." She said a more mischievous tone in her voice. "and I wasn't offering to sleep with you."

She had this big grin on her face that I couldn't explain, it was as if she didn't see how disgusting I was.

_"She sees it Auctober."_ I heard the said woman's voice say behind me. And when I turned around she was there.

"Achlys, you're back." I said looking at the ghoul like goddess. "There's no hope for you to destroy, or are you just here to admire your work."

_"Just checking in on my favourite pupil."_ she said in a venomous tone. _"I'm never done with a project until it's done after all."_

"if you keep coming by every time I meet a new person you'll have a while until you're done."

_"Just anytime hope presents itself." _she said, picking up a book I had on my nightstand. _"Books haven't changed since I last saw you, well, not much else for me here."_

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campfire

I walked up to the fire pit, scanning the area for that girls face when a pair of hands covered my eyes. Instinctively I pushed them aside and summoned my sword into my hand.

"Calm down quick draw, it's just me." The girl from the mess hall said, pushing the black blade away from her nose. "You always this jumpy?"

"Pretty much," I said spinning the blade into white mist. "Where do you want to sit?"

"I don't think he's going to like our way of thanking him." JJ said from behind my left shoulder, causing me to jump. "He just doesn't seem to have a good sense of humor."

"JJ's right on this one." It was at that moment that I realised something incredibly important. "I don't know your name."

"Valdez," she said putting her hand out for me to shake, "Tinkerer extraordinaire."

"Nice to meet you Valdez, but as I said before, you don't need to thank me." Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have shaken her hand, because she grabbed it tight and pulled me to the very front of the amphitheatre.

She sat me down and wrapped her arm through mine, JJ quickly joining her on my right. We sat there for a few minutes before the fire started, and then it started. Just as the songs began the girls began to rub their heads against my shoulders in full view of the Aphrodite cabin, and then her voice was with me.

_"Oh child of Hecate, do you really think this is going to work?" _Achlys' disembodied voice said. _"Even if they paid a girl from the Aphrodite cabin to kiss you no one would be interested."_

The more attention I got from girls the more the taunting came. _"No one could ever love you."_ And, _"They're only doing this to repay you."_ And a million other more.

_"Not even your own father loves you."_ That finished it, I couldn't take anymore and I had to say it.

"**QUIET!**" everyone in the amphitheatre stopped talking, not that they had much choice. I had put my control over the mist into that one word and drained almost all my energy. I quickly got up and ran up the hill, and as I ran Achlys continued to taunt me. I ran past the green, and strait to the beach, hoping to get some alone time to think.

As I sat there achlys continued to taunt me about my father and how worthless I was and I knew she was right. That cold black water in front of me started to look awfully inviting.

I took off my jacked, shirt, and unclipped my wallet from my chain leaving it on the beach. _'Maybe they can give these to another student, and there's enough money in my wallet to fund the camp for months.'_

"What ya doin' Niagara?" Valdez asked from behind me. I jumped, but was able to keep myself looking forward. "I don't really think this is the time to be going for a swim." What she said sounded like a joke, but she sounded more serious than I expected.

_"Don't listen to her."_ Achlys hissed at me, not showing herself like she usually did. _"This swim is long overdue."_

I sat down in the white sand next to Valdez. "Thanks," I said tears running still running down my face.

"Wow, I could sleep on your face it's so puffy." Valdez said with her usual stupid grin. _'How on earth is she so happy?'_

"What was that at the campfire Rudolf?" Valdez asked her smile turned more mischievous than stupid.

"Nothing you need to worry about Valdez." I said looking out over the sea. "You know I have a name."

"I know you have a name Merlin, but nicknames are more fun." She said chuckling to herself. "But a name would be nice to know.

I looked at her, and she looked at me, golden eyes flashing at me. "Auctober Vaughn."


	2. The First Peace

Valdez

I sat down leaning against the pine tree on the top of Half Blood Hill. The sun was washing over me, probably making me look even more fabulous than usual.

"Hey Valdez." I heard the sad voice say from my right. When I turned my head I saw skeletal boy with a Tupperware container under his right arm. "Ready for luncg?"

"Of course freak show, now sit down." I answered jokingly, and as usual he obeyed. "Why do you ask me that every day?"

"I don't know, I guess I think you'll get bored of me." He said as he passed me a plate with three slices of pizza with M&M's and pepperoni on them.

"Well if you keep bringing me my favourite foods every week that won't be a problem." I said with a sly smile on my face.

"Where's JJ?" he asked as he took out a bowl of tuna salad. "I thought she was supposed to meet us here."

"Her dad wanted to talk to her Numb Skull." I said lightly punching his shoulder. "You'll just have to deal with the torture of being alone with me."

He managed a weak smile before he put some tuna into his mouth. That was usually the best I could get from him, but I was determined to get him to laugh.

"It's not going to happen you know." He said as he got comfortable in the shade of the tree. "No one's ever heard me laugh."

"Well I want to be the first." I answered determinedly. "You'll have to laugh at one of my jokes eventually."

"Now that's funny." He said looking down at the camp. He always did this when we had launch up here; it was as if he was somewhere else. And his eyes, they looked like the Styx had filled them with black water.

_'What happened to you Witch Boy?'_ I asked in my head staring at him, vaguely noticing when JJ came up.

"I see you've started without me." She said as she sat on my left. "I hope there's some food left."

"I made sure to save you some sushi." Auctober said as he passed her the box.

"What if I didn't want Sushi?" JJ responded in mock anger.

"I just knew you'd be in a Sushi mood today." He answered looking at the camp again.

_'How does he always know what we want?'_ I thought looking at him confused.

"He's not that cute Valdez." JJ whispered to me making me jump a little, and drawing Auctobers attention back to us.

"Is everything okay?" he asked with his eyes widened the way they did when he was confused.

"Yeah, JJ just spooked me." I said smiling slyly at my friend. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Okay," he said, turning his head back to the camp again, those sad eyes sucking in all the details. If you asked that guy to draw you a map of this place he wouldn't even have to look up to do it. "Thanks by the way."

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_I'm going to have maybe one more slow chapter before things start to pick up, but for now it's just character development. Please review._


	3. The First Idiot

_This chapter happens about a week after the last one. It has my usual jumping around concept, so it might be a little confusing._

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_Valdez

I was sitting in the stands, shaking my head at one an idiot Magic Boy could be. He had picked a fight with the greatest warrior in the entire camp, Arin Tester.

He took a bagel from my plate, it wasn't like he lit my cabin on fire, which I doubt he could do with all the metal it had.

"I just put ten Drachmas on Tester." JJ said as she sat next to with a hot dog in her hand. "You know, to pay for Auctobers medical bills.

"I'm sure Dumbledore has a great strategy all worked out." I said worriedly. "He's a smart guy, except when he picks a fight with the toughest guy in camp.

Just then Harry Grace walked onto the field. He was wearing his usual orange shirt and jeans with some high end boots. He had brown hair and calydascope eyes like his mother and the same perfectly chiselled face. Even I had to admit, 'he's hot.'

"Ladies and Gentlemen, today will be a battle that will probably last about two seconds." Harry said, his usual charismatic voice traveling across the coliseum, the crowd laughing in response. "On this side we have Arin Tester weighing in at two hundred and twelve pounds of solid muscle with a height of six two and undefeated champion. And on the other side we have bookworm extraordinaire Auctober Vaughn, weighing in at one hundred and forty pounds with a height of five ten and a never shown fighter. I wonder who'll win."

The crowd cheered as Harry left and the two warriors walked forward. Arin was wearing traditional Greek armour and holding a selestial bronze leaf shaped sword in his right hand and a spear in the other. Auctober was wearing a black version of Arins armour except a little smaller, a black leaf shaped sword at his left hip and a black wooden staff occupying both of his hands.

Arin quickly charged at Auctober when white mist covered the field, obscuring the battle.

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Auctober

I was standing still in the middle of the arena as I watched Arin trying to fight a humanoid mist that kept dodging every attack. I knew that the teen was confused but it didn't really make me happy so I tried splitting the mist in two and giving him two opponents to fight.

This fight was all too easy but it was taking a lot of energy to use this much mist, if I didn't finish this quick I would pass out before Arin could land a blow on me.

I dissolved my staff into the mist and drew my sword. I charged forward and jumped on Arins chest, pushing on to the ground as I put my sword to his throat, removing the mist from around us.

He looked around dumbfounded and then back up at me; he probably hadn't even seen me coming. My control over the mist was good, but I often forgot what I did when I was done doing it.

"What a twist!" Harry Grace shouted from his booth in the front row. "Auctober Vaughn has beaten our champion, looks like I've lost a few drachmas."

As I stood up I heard dead silence from the crowd, not expecting to hear anything I started to walk out when I heard her.

"That's my boy, that's my best friend down there!" Valdez said, well shouted really for the whole camp to hear. "No one can beat Mr. Gloomy Face down there, no sire."

After about a minute of Valdez shouting random compliments the crowd started cheering, and I actually smiled, Before she showed up.

_"They wouldn't have cheered if not for that Valdez girl." _Achlys said in my head, disrupting my thoughts. _"You're not worth anything to them, not even to her, she's just using you. Trust me you'll regret trusting her, just like you regretted trusting your father."_

**"Enough!"** I shouted, putting all the energy I had left into it. Then I passed out as the crowd silenced around me

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_Auctober must have some serious daddy issues if Achlys uses him every time he's feeling happy. I know she's the goddess of despair, but she's paying special attention to him isn't she. Please review, it'll really help me make the story better._


	4. The First Run

Valdez

I started to walk up half-blood hill when I saw Bookworm reading from a large black leather book with stygon iron righting on the cover.

"You're not usually here before me." I said sitting by him. "So, what's going on?"

"Nothing much, I've just been researching Aphrodisiacs." He said looking up from his book. "I find it easier to think outside of my cabin. Hey, does the tree feel different to you?"

"No it seems the same to me. Why are you researching Aphrodisiacs?" I asked looking over his shoulder at the black metal script.

"Well I decided to give poisons a break." He answered in a very matter of fact voice. "I decided to give another kind of potion a try. Seriously though, something about the tree feels off to me."

"Nothing seems different to me Mr. Worry Pants." I said looking at a painting of two people kissing.

"It just feels kind of cold to me." He answered closing the book and putting it into his small messenger bag. "Here, let me help you feel it."

Smarty pants knelt down in front of me and put his hands on the side of my head. "Close your eyes." I listened and I saw a world filled with white smoke forming trees, buildings and people, everything was covered in it. I looked around me and saw that the tree did look different than they used to be. It _looked _cold like I could see how it felt.

"What is this place?" I asked looking at the gaunt form in front of me. "What are you?"

"This is the realm of the mist." The ghoul said in Wizard Boys voice. "It shows your true form. I see this whenever I close my eyes, a blink, sleeping, or just resting my eyes."

"Well it looks like some people are coming up the hill." I said seeing two large mist covered beings. The bigger one had sea foam blue eyes and a water like movement to his mist while the smaller of the two didn't move at all and had storm grey eyes.

Mist boy took his hands off my face and turned around. He stood up his normal muscular form taking shape in my vision.

"Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson, it's nice to see you." He said as the two of their heads just came up over the hill top. "You look upset, is something wrong?"

"Auctober, we were told that you stole the fleece." Mrs. Jackson said looking rather glum.

"I wouldn't do something like that." he said in a worried voice. "Mrs. Jackson, you know that."

"We both did Auctober." Mr. Jackson said looking upset himself. _'Have I never seen Mr. Jackson not smiling before?'_ "The said thing is that we found the fleece in your trunk."

"I didn't steel it!" Ghoul Boy shouted the grass around him starting to die. "Who gave you this tip?"

"Arin Tester." Mr. Jackson said looking straight into the Boogie Mans eyes.

"You can't trust a fire smoke!" he said the ground beginning to crack. "They'll do anything to get at their enemies."

"I'm still going to have to take you to the council." Mr. Jackson said as he pulled out his pen and pulled off the cap turning it into the celestial bronze leaf shaped sword Riptide. "Please don't resist Auctober."

"I can't make any promises." He said just as skeletal hands burst through the ground and grabbed Mrs. Jackson's ankles.

Mr. Jackson swung his sword at Mr. Criminal just as he pulled his out of his messenger bag. _'Where did he put that?'_ Mr. Jackson started to overpower him. Mr. Jackson swung his blade around in a circle flipping Joovie Boys sword into the air. Mr. Jackson pulled his arm back to swing when more skeleton arms wrapped around his arm and pulled him to the ground.

Quick Draw pulled his sword back out of his messenger bag and started to run down the hill towards the strawberry van.

"Yo Mr. big bag, where are you going?" I said as I ran down the hill which resulted in a role. Once again the brave and strong prince charming caught me. "Thanks, again."

"Go back to camp." He said as he walked up to the car. "I don't want you getting involved in this. I can handle a punk like arin on my own."

"Who cares Superman, you don't have to do it alone." I said putting my hand on his shoulder. "Besides, how do you plan to start a car? Do you even have a driver's license?"

"No, but Mrs. Jackson taught me how." He said as he opened the passenger door. "I don't have an answer for the hotwiring though."

I walked over to the other side of the car and opened the driver's side door. I put my hand on the dash board and listened to the engine purring saying that it liked me. "Okay girl, let's get going."

"I'm not a girl."

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_Please review._


	5. The First Monster

_In case you haven't noticed all the chapters start with The First, this means I am planning on doing at least one more story in this universe. Please enjoy_

Valdez had been driving for hours now and we hadn't spoken the entire time which was starting to worry me. She usually would have been spitting out some kind of joke, but something was off.

"So where are we going Valdez?" I asked looking at my friend who was deadly focused.

"Katy Texas." She said with a big smirk on her face. "My mom and dad have a garage there."

"So you think that your parents will be able to help us." I said looking questioningly at her. "Isn't your dad good friends with the Jacksons?"

"Yes, but they know when something's messed up as well." She answered as she went on to the high way. "Especially my mom."

Just as she got up the ramp two harpoons entered the van and pulled us off. When we landed we were both stuck upside down looking into the forest around us. Valdez un-buckled herself and flipped on to the dented ceiling. She turned to unbuckle and hold me when I fell. She carried me out of the van into and army of teens wearing golden armour.

"You can put me down now Valdez." I said looking up at my friends face. She looked at me confused for a second then her eyes widened and she complied. "May I ask who you are and why you tried to kill us?"

"We are the true Twelfth Legion!" The largest of them shouted. "We attacked you because you are treacherous Greeks."

"What are you talking about muscle head?" Valdez said putting her hand in her belt pocket. "Romans and Greeks are at peace."

"Only false Romans like Zahng, and Grace." The teen said drawing an Imperial Gold sword.

I quickly drew my sword from my bag and Valdez pulled out a hammer. The Romans attacked and we started fighting back. I parried each blow that came at us and Valdez struck them with her mallet, we worked in perfect tandem, but it wasn't enough to beat this group.

I barely blocked a blow from hitting Valdez and got myself cut across my thigh when a silver spear went straight through one of the soldiers. A man covered in hair wearing silver roman style armour and wielding a sword came out of the trees and started hacking off heads, including the one that had been hit with his spear. When he was done killing people he turned his shaggy black main towards us walked forward.

"Who are you?" he asked, pointing his spear at my throat. "And why are you fighting the roman Rebellion?"

"I'm Valdez of the Hephestus cabin." Valdez said, supporting my weight now. "and this here is Gloomy boy of the Hecate Cabin."

"My names Auctober." I said weekly trying to keep from falling down as I put pressure on my thigh. "Do you by any chance have a first aid kit?"

"Come on Gloomy Boy." He said as he picked me up in his big mocha collared skin. He started walking back the way he came until we were at a clearing that didn't look entirely natural. "This is my current camp, I'll go grab the bandages."

"Well he seems pleasant." Valdez said as she put my head in her lap. "I wonder what he's doing out here."

"I'm here to destroy the Roman rebellion." He said walking out of a makeshift tent with yellowish gauss in his hands. "Those Bastards are fucking shit up where ever they feel like fucking shit up."

"Polite and well mannered." Valdez said taking the gauss from his hands. "Yellow gauss to, you must have been saving this for company."

"Since my skin is as thick as a dolphins, yes." He said sitting down across from us. "Do you happen to have a razor in that handy tool belt of yours?"

"Yeah, here." I said pulling out a cut throat razor and some shaving cream. "Don't cut yourself."

The man took the implements and quickly shaved leaving just the young tight skinned muscular Tarzan. He then grabbed his hair and cut it so that it only went down to his neck.

"I hate even having my hair this long, but a man's gotta do, what a man's gotta do." He said handing the items back to Valdez. "Would either of you care to give me a year?"

Valdez gave it to him and he shook his head in disapproval. He stood up and held up his hand, pulling the silver spear from where we had started into his hands.

"I've been out here for three years and still haven't taken these guys out." He said as he through his newly summoned spear into a tree with just a flick of the wrist. "I'm Aginor Dare, son of Neptune, and Grandson of Mars." He said holding out a dirty hand for Valdez to shake.

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_I know this chapter said first monster, but we had soldiers that hated both Greeks and Romans, and a man who had been in the woods for three years, I'd say that this is pretty monstrous. Also, does anyone recognize Aginors last name. Please review_


	6. The First Night

_The night after the last chapter. Just to show you that Aginor isn't just an insane forest man with anger issues._

I lied down in the make ship tent with my back to Valdez. I wasn't able to sleep with the burly wild man with a nasty habit of lopping off people's heads.

I heard a wrusstling in front of me and I opened my eyes to see a scarred muscular torso facing the opposite direction. The arm reached forward and grabbed a silver spatha and turned to face the exit of the tent.

Once Aginor had left I turned over to look at him heading towards a tree. He grabbed his sword and it glinted in the moon light right before he swung it down cutting the tree in half.

"Impressive swing, but I think you might want to sharpen that blade." I said looking at the man before he swung around, his blade in a throwing position. "Calm down Dare, just trying to suggest a way to make your swing even deadlier."

"If I could sharpen my sword don't you think I would moron?" He said glaring at me. "I've been out here for a while and have been actually using my blade."

"Calm down, I have a sword sharpener in my bag." I said reaching into the satchel at the back of the tent. "Here."

Aginor caught the sharpener and sat down on the newly created stump.

"So why are you so angry?" I asked, walking towards the burly man.

"Why are you so depressed?" He asked in reply looking up at me from his sharpening. "I've lived a pretty shitty life. People at Camp Jupiter don't particularly like children of Neptune. I'm pretty sure Greeks are okay with children of Hecate, so what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing of importance." I said looking as he slowly stroked his blade down the sharpener. "Guess my blades a little dull."

"Even a dull blade can cut down a big tree in the right hands." He said continuing the steady stroking of his blade. "Just look at this meadow idiot."

"Hey, only I can call white boy an idiot." Valdez said behind me. "So, what are you guys talking about?"

"Why I'm an angry Jack Ass and Vaughn's a depressed magician." Aginor answered flipping his sword over to sharpen the other side.

"I've been tryin to figure that out since I met the guy." She said sitting on the stump next to mine. "Made any progress?"

"No he hasn't." I said before Aginor could even open his mouth. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"When someone slices a tree in half it makes a lot of noise." She said looking at Aginor as he continued to sharpen his sword. "I'm talking to you Jacob."

"My names Aginor." He said looking up from his sharpening confused. "Where would you get Jacob from?"

Valdez looked at Aginor exasperatedly. "Nothing Big Boy, nothing at all."

"Well I'm tired, so no more cutting down trees." Valdez said as she stood back up looking accusingly at Aginor.

Once she was back in the tent Aginor leaned in close to me.

"So what's the story with you and Valdez?" he asked looking at me with a suspicious glare.

"I insulted a guy at camp and got a little embarrassed and went to my cabin." I said leaning away from the aggressive teen. "This lead to that and she stopped me from throwing myself into the ocean."

"So are you two together?" He asked the suspicious glare turning into a sly smirk.

"No, just good friends." I said looking at him confused.

"So you wouldn't mind if I made a move." My eyes widened and I started to mumble towards my new comrade.

"He may not, but I would." Valdez called from the tent at the back of the clearing. "Now get back to bed slaves."

I sighed and Aginore growled at that, but in the end we decided to just give in.

"Coming dear." We called in unison.

_I know that the last line was a bit off character for those two, but I just couldn't resist having that interaction between the three of them. And yes, Aginor can cut a tree in half with one swing from a dull sword. Please review._


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